Terrorism constitutes one of the most troubling ways of using violence to affect political affairs. In order to deal with it effectively, we should have a clear idea of how it operates and what causes it to arise.

Although the first and most prevalent way to think about dealing with terrorism is to repress it by using counterviolence, that impulsive response is not necessarily the most creative one. Other ways for thinking about how to deal with terrorism deserve attention and may actually be more promising. The key question is not whether terrorism should be overcome but how to do so most effectively.

The various ways of understanding terrorism and the possible responses that can be made to the threat it poses are profoundly affected by the fundamental convictions that people have about the ultimate nature of human life. How does the Christian faith offer guidance for making those judgments, and what are the possible consequences of that guidance?

This three-session study addresses all these concerns. The first session works toward a definition of terrorism and looks at its possible causes. The second session examines different ways of addressing terrorism in order to overcome it. The final session invites Christians to see how their faith impacts their judgments as to how to address terrorism.

Edward LeRoy Long Jr. is Pearsall Professor Emeritus of Christian Ethics and Theology of Culture at Drew University in Madison, New Jersey. He is the author of several books, including A Survey of Christian Ethics, A Survey of Recent Christian Ethics, War and Conscience in America, and Peace Thinking in a Warring World.